And I was trying to make the point of how far hams are behind the technolgy curve and how the continue to delude themselves they are not.
It is a high power CB radio hobby.
Good reply, but you forgot one thing that was mentioned above (and obviously overlooked by this mis-informed person).
"Good reply...mis-informed"?! How can it be both? Or is this part of the ham radio culture to delude oneselve. So, tell me how I was mis-informed? I wasn't talking about the 0.01% of legitimate emergency use of ham radio, I was talking about the majority of use
There is no comparisson between building a PC and building a radio. You don't have to have any knowledge or talent to put a PC together.
How much knowledge or talent do you need to sit at the kitchen table, look at a manual, stuff parts in the properly marked holes, and solder it? Me and my dad used to do that when I was 10 years old with Heathkits. Cetainly, more then most, but this is not rocket science.
I believe "autopatches" predated cell phones by many, many years
Do you even KNOW the technology you are talking about? Gezz.... is part of the "ham radio" hobby deluding yourself?
Yes, indeed, single frequecy fixed mobile telephones did indeed preceed cellular based, frequency agile, spread spectrum wireless phones by some years. Maybe about 30 or 40. Problem is, it also preceeded ham autopatches, where are in fact 1950's technology all the telco's where actively selling. (Look at your Perry Mason re-runs.... he had a mobile phone in his car).
Is there a big problem with people smoking crack in ham radio these days?
realize your trolling here friend...
Less then you might think. Fact of the matter is, I got my ham license when I was 14, and have held it for 26 years (not balding either!). So I'm speaking from observation, and just because I won't accept the wild eye'd fantasies you and others spout, doesn't mean I am trolling. What I find most interesting is how you and others quote things others have done.... what have you done? Face it, it is just glorified CB radio for the majority, and I'm sure some CB'ers might take issue with that statement.
just be sure to thank your local "overweight, old, balding dork" the next time you hoist your cell phone to your ear
Why? I've yet to see a single frequency agile cellular based ham radio system, let alone one based on spread spectrum (PCS). I'd love to, where is it at?
Or dial long distance...
OK, I'll bite on this one.... what ham gave us relay hunting? (and more to the point, how was this developed in the context of ham radio)
or watch satellite tv
If I recall my history, Telstar 1 was the first active sat transponder, about 1965. What active role did ham radio play in this?
All your doing here is digging it deeper. Nothing wrong with being a glorified CB'er, problem is, with the other BS, your not fooling anyone but yourself.
BTW, when a ham talks about building their own radio, they mean they are soldering transistors together
I remember sitting down at the Kitchen table, oh this must have been 25 years ago, with my dad building a HeathKit radio. It was some transistors and some DIP integrated circuits.
So, what your saying is, 25 years later, hams are still using transistors? Hey, I use them too (front end, switching), but the majority of radios I design are based on fine pitch surface mount parts, and even those are a few years behind the curve.
Hey, I guess you could have said you where still using tubes, so there is some progress being made here.
Not that I totally disagree with you, but some prespective here would be helpful.
Anonymous Coward told us:
Amateur radio requires:
Whoa, now hold on here. Your changing the thread. "Amateur radio" describes a license assignment by the FCC, "ham radio" is the name of particular culture of human beings. While it may be true you could call every "ham radio operator" a "amateur radio operator", the opposite is not true. Don't try and change the topic here.
.verry expensive, dedicated equipment
If you are looking at the ham radio rags, then that is true. Those radios are designed to attract chicks at Startrek conventions, hence the extra cost associated with the startrek communicator sound built in. If your looking for good inexpensive radio equipment, then there is the commercial market.
a verry quiet area to prevent illegal 3rd person noise and reception
Nope, hams are not protected here at all. Anyone can receive the frequencies. Your thinking of cell phones.
registration with the FCC which removes your right of free-speech.
Since when did we ever have that right anyways? Seriously however, that is what the ARRL wants you to believe. I don't think, in recent history, their has been a proscution based solely on free speech issues. The ARRL doesn't want you to talk about politics, your hemoroids, or cordinating pirate downloads, but on one weekend I heard all of the above on a local 2 meter repeater.
you to identify yourself in every transmission
Nope, every 10 minutes on voice or never on a digital transmission (your MAC address is your callsign).
a wife with a full-time job
Well, I saw some guy talking about how they had their Field Day at a Highway Rest Stop, so I suspect some hams have their needs meet by someone other then a wife. Lets just call that a significant to feed them potatoe chips, OK?
TCP/IP makes HAM RADIO obsolete. VOICE over IP is more reliable and logical than HAM RADIO. You can't use HAM RADIO in telecoms or company other communication systems namely because of regulation. TCP/IP is free, everywhere, and dominating all your elderly ASS-HAMS. goodbye codetalkers.
Seriously, I think you are confusing the "ham radio culture" with a amateur radio license. Sure, most of them are jackasses, but that doesn't mean you have to talk with them. Mobile TCP/IP works fine over amateur radio. You no longer have to know morse code. This is a case where you do want to throw the baby out, but keep the bathwater.
not all hams are old or fat. Some are, and the ones who people notice frequently are, they are the ones who are at club meets all the time
So you do agree the most visble and active ones do in fact meet my description?
Ask your friends, i'll bet at least one of them is a ham.
Well, they won't admit to it, but yes, I'll agree there are hams that are not old. I was talking about the majority of the active ones. Even the best of us make mistakes and went to a ham club meeting once or twice.
it might not all be bleeding edge, but i'll bet you didnt build your own pc
Your on the wrong board for that, go to ARRL if you want appliance ops. My guess is the majority of Slashdot readers have built their own PC. I know I certainly have.
ANd some stuff is pretty bleeding edge, try telling the guys running data over 30ghz links with hardware that they built themselves that what they are doing is not bleeding edge
Would never think of telling them that, although you might want to mention to them that 30Ghz is not a legal U.S. ham band.
I had a lot of fun, going out into the middle of nowhere with nothing but a generator, a radio, and 4 other fat, balding men to stay up all night...
After the 260th contact we really started to fatigue, so even though we had good intentions, the "staying up all night" bit didnt pan out. 73s
--Down with pants!--
Hmmmm...... are you sure you are not describing a Homophobic experince at a rural highway rest stop?
OK, so your saying Bell 202 modems (1200 baud half duplex) is not antiquated technology?
This is what you used to work the ISS on packet, or standard FM 1950's voice technology if by voice. Meanwhile, the pimply faced 15 year old is talking to his buddy using a handheld transciver, using automatic power control and DSSS as well as data compression technology.
w1bmw, and you also haven't been playing with Ham radio if you have been playing with the 2.4ghz SS stuff.... that is Part 15 stuff and has nothing to do with ham radio, other then sharing some common frequencies (and if you are operating it under part 97, be careful as the part 15 frequencies extend further).
Hams have done little to nothing on spread spectrum, it has been all the computer hackers. TAPR's SS radio, after 5 years, has yet to make it out the gate, and their is a unconfirmed rumor that ARRL officials are stalking the Wireless ISP lists, in search of sacrificial cows to hold up to their membership.
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And I was trying to make the point of how far hams are behind the technolgy curve and how the continue to delude themselves they are not. It is a high power CB radio hobby.
"Good reply...mis-informed"?! How can it be both? Or is this part of the ham radio culture to delude oneselve. So, tell me how I was mis-informed? I wasn't talking about the 0.01% of legitimate emergency use of ham radio, I was talking about the majority of use
How much knowledge or talent do you need to sit at the kitchen table, look at a manual, stuff parts in the properly marked holes, and solder it? Me and my dad used to do that when I was 10 years old with Heathkits. Cetainly, more then most, but this is not rocket science.
Do you even KNOW the technology you are talking about? Gezz.... is part of the "ham radio" hobby deluding yourself?
Yes, indeed, single frequecy fixed mobile telephones did indeed preceed cellular based, frequency agile, spread spectrum wireless phones by some years. Maybe about 30 or 40. Problem is, it also preceeded ham autopatches, where are in fact 1950's technology all the telco's where actively selling. (Look at your Perry Mason re-runs.... he had a mobile phone in his car).
Is there a big problem with people smoking crack in ham radio these days?
realize your trolling here friend... Less then you might think. Fact of the matter is, I got my ham license when I was 14, and have held it for 26 years (not balding either!). So I'm speaking from observation, and just because I won't accept the wild eye'd fantasies you and others spout, doesn't mean I am trolling. What I find most interesting is how you and others quote things others have done.... what have you done? Face it, it is just glorified CB radio for the majority, and I'm sure some CB'ers might take issue with that statement.
Why? I've yet to see a single frequency agile cellular based ham radio system, let alone one based on spread spectrum (PCS). I'd love to, where is it at?
OK, I'll bite on this one.... what ham gave us relay hunting? (and more to the point, how was this developed in the context of ham radio)
If I recall my history, Telstar 1 was the first active sat transponder, about 1965. What active role did ham radio play in this?
All your doing here is digging it deeper. Nothing wrong with being a glorified CB'er, problem is, with the other BS, your not fooling anyone but yourself.
So, what your saying is, 25 years later, hams are still using transistors? Hey, I use them too (front end, switching), but the majority of radios I design are based on fine pitch surface mount parts, and even those are a few years behind the curve.
Hey, I guess you could have said you where still using tubes, so there is some progress being made here.
Anonymous Coward told us: Whoa, now hold on here. Your changing the thread. "Amateur radio" describes a license assignment by the FCC, "ham radio" is the name of particular culture of human beings. While it may be true you could call every "ham radio operator" a "amateur radio operator", the opposite is not true. Don't try and change the topic here.
If you are looking at the ham radio rags, then that is true. Those radios are designed to attract chicks at Startrek conventions, hence the extra cost associated with the startrek communicator sound built in. If your looking for good inexpensive radio equipment, then there is the commercial market.
Nope, hams are not protected here at all. Anyone can receive the frequencies. Your thinking of cell phones.
Since when did we ever have that right anyways? Seriously however, that is what the ARRL wants you to believe. I don't think, in recent history, their has been a proscution based solely on free speech issues. The ARRL doesn't want you to talk about politics, your hemoroids, or cordinating pirate downloads, but on one weekend I heard all of the above on a local 2 meter repeater.
Nope, every 10 minutes on voice or never on a digital transmission (your MAC address is your callsign). Well, I saw some guy talking about how they had their Field Day at a Highway Rest Stop, so I suspect some hams have their needs meet by someone other then a wife. Lets just call that a significant to feed them potatoe chips, OK? Seriously, I think you are confusing the "ham radio culture" with a amateur radio license. Sure, most of them are jackasses, but that doesn't mean you have to talk with them. Mobile TCP/IP works fine over amateur radio. You no longer have to know morse code. This is a case where you do want to throw the baby out, but keep the bathwater.
So you do agree the most visble and active ones do in fact meet my description?
Well, they won't admit to it, but yes, I'll agree there are hams that are not old. I was talking about the majority of the active ones. Even the best of us make mistakes and went to a ham club meeting once or twice.
Your on the wrong board for that, go to ARRL if you want appliance ops. My guess is the majority of Slashdot readers have built their own PC. I know I certainly have.
Would never think of telling them that, although you might want to mention to them that 30Ghz is not a legal U.S. ham band.
Hmmmm...... are you sure you are not describing a Homophobic experince at a rural highway rest stop?
No, they are not big dorks. The are overweight, old, balding dorks who have the illusion they are on the bleeding edge of technology. Get it right!
OK, so your saying Bell 202 modems (1200 baud half duplex) is not antiquated technology?
This is what you used to work the ISS on packet, or standard FM 1950's voice technology if by voice. Meanwhile, the pimply faced 15 year old is talking to his buddy using a handheld transciver, using automatic power control and DSSS as well as data compression technology.
w1bmw, and you also haven't been playing with Ham radio if you have been playing with the 2.4ghz SS stuff.... that is Part 15 stuff and has nothing to do with ham radio, other then sharing some common frequencies (and if you are operating it under part 97, be careful as the part 15 frequencies extend further). Hams have done little to nothing on spread spectrum, it has been all the computer hackers. TAPR's SS radio, after 5 years, has yet to make it out the gate, and their is a unconfirmed rumor that ARRL officials are stalking the Wireless ISP lists, in search of sacrificial cows to hold up to their membership.